


What is Always Missing

by Mrs_KinneyPosts



Category: Adventure Time
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-10-23 19:15:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17689250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mrs_KinneyPosts/pseuds/Mrs_KinneyPosts





	1. Chapter 1

Finn awoke to the smell of breakfast.

After losing his arm, Jake felt it would keep Finn's spirits lifted to have the most important meal of the day ready and waiting for when he finally decided to come down. It was the least he could do for his best bro.

Finn made his way down the ladder from his room using his one arm, every day that feeling becoming less unfamiliar to him than the last. He spots BMO already at the table. White bib on, pretending to eat pancakes, covered in syrup. He exhales a silent laugh and joins him.

"Morning Finn! How'd you sleep? I made you an extra special pancake!" Jake exclaimed.

It was in the shape of an arm. Much like the other breakfast food he'd been served these past mornings.

Among varying arm shaped creations, Finn's favorite had been a burrito that had four sausages sticking out of one end. That one was a stretch, but Finn decided it was still a rather tasty arm, and a thoughtful gesture from his best friend, none the less.

"It's soul food! Good for your insides and junk! Ahehe" Jake playfully nudged.

"Thanks, Jake. Taste just like the real thing" Finn said, winking at BMO, who giggled and slapped another pancake onto his face.

"Huh, I dunno if that would taste better or worse I think it'd be too ..." Jake's voice faded away as Finn became lost in his own thoughts.

*what do I do now? Sigh. I haven't been out in a while. I just haven't been up to it.*

"... and then one time Lady was like, "너는 젤로를 먹을 수있어".HAHA man, I tell you wha..."

*I guess I could go see PB.. man I better not. She'd probably make me try on more candy arms and I'm just not ready for all that biz...*

"..And that was how I met super old man Yolkum back wh-"

Finn cuts off Jake, "I think I'm gonna go for a walk. Get my head space junk cleared."

"That's a great idea, man! You want me to come with?" asked Jake.

"Nah, man. I gotta do this one Finn style."

***** *****

Finn gathered his stuff and stopped at the front door. He took a look at the empty space where his favorite arm had previously been. "Let's see if we can find the rest of me out there." He said, mostly for the sake of saying something, anything, to give purpose to his impromptu adventure.

He walked for what seemed hours, thoughts vague. Swinging an old sword in his left hand, trying to get familiar with it. He paid no attention to his path ahead, no clear destination in sight. Maybe only guided by fate. He mused at the idea of fate. What path could ever be worth his favorite arm?

He walked along further till he reached the edge of the Swamp of Embarrassment. He'd come a long way from the boy that fumbled his way through that very swamp. 

All that embarrassment for some seriously *click-click* armor meant for a more uh, muscular build, he thought. Still, even with the maturity that comes with age, nothing would convince him to put himself through that humiliation again.

He began to turn and make his way in a new direction, only just noticing how dark it was becoming. "Well. I guess I should call it a night. Ill head back in the morning." Finn made a small fire and laid out beside it. He listened to the sound of the critters, the hoots, and howls of otherworldly beings lurking just beyond the edge of the forest. All things familiar to him. 

As he lay there he thought a lot about what had happened to him over the years. The time Bubble Gum turned into a zombie. Breaking up with Flame Princess. His adventures with Jake and sometimes with Lady as well. The moment he lost his arm. The moment he realized his dad was a total dingus toad. And then the moment he realized how alone he felt. His eyes began to tear up, and a clot formed in his throat. He started breathing heavily, loudly, in attempts to calm himself.

Finn's thoughts were interrupted by a faint new sound. A low humming coming from within the forest. Was it a space princess? Or a pesky Ice King? He listened hard to the sound and found that no, this was something different. He slowly got up and followed the sound with caution until he finally reached a small stone archway. He walked around it, puzzled at how the hum could seem to be emanating from the arch only. "Maybe, its.. a gateway? It's.. a magic door!" Finn realized with excitement. *Well, I've come this far* he thought. *and I'm always down for an adventure, right?*. Holding his breath in nervous anticipation he circled the arch a second time and stepped through.


	2. A Thousand Years For A Song

It was pitch black and the air was stale.

He fumbled around feeling the walls of what seemed to be a cave now. He tried to feel the way he had entered but now only felt rocks and roots coming through the cold walls. "Appeared out of nowhere, huh? Sweet. I'll just sit here until my orbs adjust to some light, no problem, you got this Finn." He said to himself, a half-believed attempt to gain his composure.

After a couple endless moments, he thought he could see a source of light emanating deeper within the cave. And then he heard the humming again. He got up and followed the sound. With each step, it seemed to get louder, and transform. It was no longer a hum but became inaudible words. He quickened his step, desperate to make sense of what he was hearing.

Closer and closer, he was running now. It was beautiful. It was sad. He had to know, he had to find-

He ran head first into a door.

"Uuh, wha?" he shook his head, looked up and saw an old wooden door with markings on the trim. *Whats this door doing in the middle of a cave?* he thought ."It looks kinda familiar" He said, while also noticing he'd broken it nearly in half. "Woof- I guess I dinked it up pretty bad, oh well, at least I know I won't be needing a key." He listened a moment noticing the song had stopped and a deafening silence now filled the air. Whatever courage he had been granted when approaching the sound was all but gone now. He peaked through the sizeable hole his head had made upon impact. "The coast seems... clear."

Finn opened the door. Before him, stood the grandest part of the cave. Large and dark, save for the computers that brightly shown and sat atop carved out table rock formations. They lit up and surrounded a neon barred cage hanging in the middle of the room. He slowly walked forward taking in his findings. The screens were abuzz with low static and white noise. Flashing warnings of low power and continuous various scrolling data. In a chair lay an old skeleton sitting in an almost expectant manner. As if the screens would change and tell him something new, and he would suddenly jump to life. Finn thought he looked kinda funny and would have laughed were it not for the cage. Which he now was close enough to notice its contents were in fact, not, similar remains.

In the cage, he could see two dark eyes staring back at him through long tangled pure white hair.

Then he saw two wrinkled hands reach forward and grip the pulsating neon bars. The nails were chipped but long, the knuckles dry and cracked.

"Can you.. save.. me?" The small voice whispered to Finn. It filled him with desperation and purpose to hear a voice ask to be saved. After all, he was a hero.

"I.. who are you? Why are you.. here? Who was singing?" Finn stuttered in sudden confusion. Could this voice be the source of what he was chasing? 

"I am... Adora? I haven't told anyone in so long I feel like I was on the verge of forgetting myself again..." She spoke quietly, as if to herself, perhaps afraid the young man before her was another simple imagining caused from being alone for so long. After a pause, "Adora Mara." She was speaking directly to Finn now. "And that was my song. It means something important I think but I don't remember what that something is." She sighed.

"Can you sing it to me, Adora?" His voice lowering to meet hers. 

"Sure, but only if you can help me first."

Finn was so eager to hear the words he'd forgotten the less than favorable situation old lady Adora was in. "Oh! Yes! Okay let me see- wait, you're not some evil witch, are you? Why are you in this cage, hanging with ol' bagga bones here?"

"It's a long story, one that I would be happy to tell you after I can stretch my legs!"

"Okay, okay I guess I can always kick your butt if you do happen to be evil" Finn seemed satisfied with his own reasoning enough and he started to look around for a way to open the cage. After a couple of minutes, he was getting flustered. He decided the best solution would be by physical force. He took a few wide distancing steps, enough to get his stride. Without much warning to Adora he charged the cage with a run and leap. The old chains that held it in place swung with a loud creak before snapping under the extra weight and added force. The caged hit the stone floor hard, snapping the connectors from the base. The neon bars flickered and went out. Adora fell among the rubble and Finn on top of her. He felt awful thinking he might have crushed her or caused further distress. "Are you alright, ma'am!?" He quickly rolled off and got to his feet. He reached his one hand out to help her up but was quickly dismissed. 

"MA'AM!? Ugh! Who are you calling MA'AM, I'm the same age as you! I mean maybe a bit older but not enough to be called ma'am! Sheesh" Adora picked herself up hastily and dusted herself off. "I'll show you!" And with that, she pulled a key out of seemingly thin air and tossed it into the empty air that lay in front of her, causing a small pink door to appear. "Oh, right, you wanted to hear my song, huh? Well ok, but you'll just have to listen while I change. 

Finn watched as she did this all in such fluid motions. Same age as me? Is she mental? Then in the midst of all this, she began to sing.

"When all my friends are dead and gone, who'll be left to hear my song? Into space and time, I roam, with no place to call my home. In this cage, I'm all alone, --

The music poured from her lips like honey and as she stepped through the door the words didn't disappear but instead surrounded Finn and echoed through the cave like a grand concert of pure sound 

\--for a thousand years 'til the hero comes. Fin-, Finn-, finish my song. A thousand years till my hero comes." 

As Adora finished her song she stepped back through the door and stood before Finn, transformed. He gasped at the figure that now stood before him. "I.. You're.. I.. Oh Glob." Finn was beginning to blush.


	3. Till The Morning

Ah, who.. what are y-you? You were that old lady?.. and now you're not?" Finn stammered at how different this new person was. Her white hair was now smooth and long, bangs drawn to a point, andnher skin a soft lavender. He stood eye level with Adora and now noticed hers were a beautiful cloudy grey. Her clothes looked old but fashionable, a navy blue blouse and black pants. Her boots were a deep red and reminded him of ones Marceline would wear.

"I'm The Door Hopper, man. That WAS me. And like, well, that will be me again someday. Old me. It's hard to explain, but that old skelledude there imprisoned me here a looong time ago. Wanted me to grant him eternal life or some biz. Which, I was like, no way man, you're clearly evil? So we just kinda.. waited. And then he died of oldness and I've been trapped here ever since! Normally I'd just hop on out of here with one of my doors, but I guess his cage magic was the serious stuff. So uh, yea!"

"Whoa, slow down! A Door Hopper? Is that like, a Door Master? You take people's stuff and bring them together, and teach weird caring lessons?"

"UMM, no?! Basically, a Door Hopper has the same abilities over time and space because WE came first and shared our power with those we felt were well-doers! That's where Door Masters come in, they just thought it would be cool to name themselves masters. Well-doers indeed but not very humble" Adora rolled her eyes.

"Okaaaay, cool I think I understand. The Door Master I met didn't say a word he just hummed at us, what was that all about?"

"Well I'm no expert, my ancestors were the ones that granted their powers, but I know in order to gain such power you have to sacrifice something important. I'm guessing that's just what he chose to sacrifice."

Finn found himself hanging on every word she had to say. Wishing he could know every detail about her, he realized he never actually gave his name. "By the way, I'm Finn... did you already know that? Since you've got time powers and all that."

"...I may have looked through a few doors and found out a bit about you while I was changing, nothing stalkery, just... a bit." She whispered.

They both took an awkward pause and blushed at her blunt reply.

"So I guess you'll be wanting to get out of here huh?" Finn broke the silence. "I can't imagine being here as long as you were. Hey you should come to my place! I'm sure Jake is probably wondering where I am by now anyway."

"Wow, you want me to meet your brother already? You move fast." She smirked.

*How did she know Jake was my brother? Man, that's confusing. Just how much did she see through one of her doors?* Finn thought to himself.

"Oh.. uh, I mean I'm just kidding with you of course." She said, noticing the concern on his face. "Come on Finn, let's go! All you have to do is hold my hand and think of home before I touch the door, okay?"

"hold your.. yes. okay!" Finn grabbed Adora's hand without hesitation, and to keep his mind focused he ended up yelling out, "I WANNA GO HOME TO MY TREEHOUSE AND JAKE."

"Wow okay haha, that seems a bit much but I appreciate the enthusiasm!" Adora laughed and placed her free hand on the front on the door and pushed.

She stepped through pulling Finn with her.

Finn watched as they left the cave through the door. For a brief moment, he was surrounded by white nothingness. The gravity around him was almost non-existent, and he got a slight chill. He turned just in time to see the door behind him disappear into a spinning vortex. As fast as it appeared it was gone and he was standing in front of a familiar tree house he called home.

"That was so cool! And scary! Can you show Jake? Well, I mean sometime when you're up to it. You probably want to take a rest after being trapped by that dead guy so long, huh?"

"Yea that'd be nice. I'd be happy to show him once I've taken a nice long vacation of freedom" She sighed with relief. "Thanks again, Finn."

"No problem, that's what heroes are for. Come inside I'll get you something to drink? Do you drink tea? Jake makes me tea when it feels like invisible goblins are punching my stomach."

"That sounds amazing, yes please!" Adora was now the one being led by Finn who she noticed had not let go of her hand even after arriving through the door. She smiled at this but said nothing of it. It had been so long since she had seen another being, and she felt truly lucky that it was someone as cute and kind as Finn.

***

"Finn! you're back buddy! Woah, whos the lady!? Don't tell me you went out and already got yourself a girlfriend?

you weren't gone THAT long! MY MAN, Finn! Smooth as butter!"

"Jake stooop, no! Look, this is Adora, she was imprisoned and I rescued her! shes got these crazy powers, shes a Door Hopper." Finn was super embarrassed Jake called Adora his girlfriend but when he looked over at her she seemed unfazed. In fact, it almost seemed like she hadn't listened to a word his brother had just said. This concerned Finn at first, but then he thought it was just an overwhelming night, for them both.

"Then why are you guys holding hands?" Jake said with a squeal of excitement. Finn looked down and turned a bright red, releasing her hand quickly. He'd almost thought he could get away with holding it a bit longer. *That's Jake for you, always trying to embarrass me* thought Finn.

"Aw man you know I'm just teasing you. Adora huh? Nice to meet you! And this is BMO" Jake stepped aside to reveal the small robot hiding behind Jake, blushing. "Finn she is ah so beautiful! But we do not have enough controller for all to play at once!"BMO said frantically and started to run away crying.

"That robots weird, man," Jake said nonchalantly. "I'm gonna go cheer him up. Nice to meet you, Adora, maybe I'll see you later! hehe, I'll leave you two alone for now."

"Yeah, so that's pretty normal day to day stuff here. That's my family."Finn said, leading Adora to the table to sit.

"Wow, well I love it. It's more than I ever had." She said.

"Really? What happened to your family?"

"I'm not really sure, I think they all just... died maybe? It's like trying to remember a dream, really. There are bits and pieces, but no full story. What about you? Where are your human parents? I didn't get that far in my snooping through doors earlier haha."

"Woof. That's actually something I discovered myself recently. I found out who my dad was, and he's the reason I'm missing an arm." Finn paused remembering his manners. "I think I'll make you that tea myself, don't wanna risk Jake coming back for round two." he laughed.

Finn felt comfortable talking to Adora, like talking to an old friend. As he told the whole story of his dad and The Lich and about the Citadel, his hand slowly found it's way across the table and back into Adora's. It felt natural while they sat up the rest of the night exchanging stories and drinking tea, till the morning sun started to peak through the kitchen window.


End file.
